Ariel's End
by Jordan Lee Burnes
Summary: Ariel fights her way through what she thought was one of the greatest things that she could ever be apart of.
1. Chapter 1

Ariel was swimming as she had every day. Her tailfin gliding through the water cleaner than a sharp knife cutting through butter. It was raining up above; this was why she was swimming so close to the surface now, to listen as the rain pounded on top of the ocean... one of her favorite things to listen to.

Just looking up at the disturbance made her quiver with excitement. She slowly surfaced and let the cold rain drizzle on top of her head, but only for a second, she could not revel in the feeling for long, but she enjoyed it while she could.

As she submerged, a gleam caught the corner of her eye. She turned to look, and saw a school of fish swimming surprisingly close together. She approached them, slow and steady.

"Hello, my name is Ariel, are you alright?"

She approached slowly as she spoke, not stopping to wait for an answer, although one did come.

"No princess, stay away!"

But by then it was already too late. As Ariel reached out her hand to touch the fish, a large fishing net engulfed them along with Ariel herself. She now could feel herself being slowly lifted upward, toward the surface. She struggled trying to find someway out, but it was no use... she was trapped.

Slowly, she was pulled up out of the water, covered in fish and soon feeling the air on her face as the water dripped off her. She rose higher and higher in the air, until she onto the top of a ship, were two strong sailors lugged her, along with the rest of the fish on board. Once the men saw what they had caught, they released their hold on the net, freeing the fish and Ariel. She stayed still for a moment longer as the men on this ship stared at her in marvel.

She had her chance, and she took it. She quickly waddled herself along the ship on her hands, dragging her tailfin behind her, heading for the side of the ship. This seemed to be a wake-up call for the sailors, for as soon as she started to move for the escape they pounced upon her.

"No! Let me go!"

Her voice came as a surprise to many sailors. It was wondrous enough that they had a mermaid on board, but a creature as such being able to speak shocked them just as well. However, if they would have thought a little harder it might not have been so amazing.

"She can talk"

Came mutters from everybody, but then the captain came on deck, a short stout man with casual attire for that time period.

"Stop pilling around and grab the bitch!"

The crew responded accordingly, now with three men controlling her, they hoisted her up and lugged her away. However, Ariel wasn't without a good amount of fight, as it was shown when her tailfin decked one of the men right on the side of the face, knocking him unconscious. However, actions have their consequences. Which is why the gun butt that was planted atop her head left her unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Ariel awoke expecting to feel to soft sand beneath her, instead she awoke to a hard, splintering wood floor. Her hand soon rose to her head and felt the whelp that was starting to bulge from the top of her skull. The read hair that she contained was the only thing that covered it.

It was very dark in the room, but moonlight shone into the ship from a window on the side. The only thing around she could see was boxes and crates, full of God knows what.

She crawled over to the window and was about to break it out, when she realized that it was just a barred window. No panes of glass, just a metal + covering space in the wood. This meant that she was above the water, probably on the deck cabin, but she didn't know what that was. She was just happy to be alive.

"Oh what am I to do?"

At those words she heard footsteps outside a door that she had yet to notice. Soon the door slowly opened, and in came another hardy looking sailor, carrying with him a plate, and cup of sea-water.

"Umm... the captain has sent me with sum food for ye miss. We are not too sure bout what you eat, but we figure you living in the sea and all would be eatin fish. It's cooked, but I'm sure you would like it all the same and I...."

"I eat seaweed."

"What?"

"Seaweed... I eat seaweed."

"I would be sure to let the captain know that miss, but for now this is all we have."

The hardy looking sailor set the food down in front of her and left out the same door he came in. Immediately after the door had closed, Ariel rushed at it and tried to force it open... It wouldn't budge.

She was tired, sickly, and out of luck. So she sat down in front of her food and took the cup of water, pouring it over her body as the moon gleamed against her making her body shine. Now she was eyeing the fish, she hated to do this, but she was just so hungry, and she wouldn't starve, she wouldn't. She took the fish in her hand and started to eat.


	3. Chapter 3

She was awake on the boat; her stomach was full of the fish that she had been given. It felt different and unreal, she had never seen her stomach poke out as it did now, it was unusual for her... she hated it. She was still so confused at to what her next move was, and if there would even be a next move. But the thing that had her most troubled was the question of what these men would do with her once they got to the mainland. She had seen it many times, and it seemed very beautiful, but she understood that there was much she did not know. Under and above the sea. So, she started to do what she always did when she was lonely, she started to sing.

"I long for the waves, that rose above my head.... I am searching for a way back to my bed, I am lonely, I am sad, I am crying, and soon I will be dead... dead... dead *whisper*"

Ariel had sat there and sung from her heart, and it was not unheard, as she looked up she saw sailors bunched up around the door, and the captain looking over their heads. Ariel sat and stared at them, not sure of what to do next, but the next move was not her own. The captain pushed the rest of the men aside and walked into the room.

"Shut the door... leave us."

"But Captain..."

"I said shut it!"

"Yes captain."

The crew did as they were told and shut the door as they left. Now in the room stood the captain, and sat Ariel. She was scared, scared of what this man would do. She had heard evil stories about sailors like him and she did not intend to be a victim of his wrongdoing, but he surprised her.

The captain took his hat off showing an almost balding head, and came at rest on his knees in front of Ariel. Then, he looked into her eyes, and beautiful eyes they were, never had he seen such eyes, full of the sky, and full of the sea. As Ariel looked back into the captain's eyes she saw hurt... hurt and pain. His eyes seemed to be drained from the ventures that he had embarked on. He looked tired, just tired.

"My lady... It pains me to see you in such a mood of distress, and it pains me to have to keep you locked in here, it pains me to have you as my prisoner."

"Then why, fair captain, would you have done so."

"Aye that is a fair question that you ask. And the answer pains me... When you first came aboard this boat, you saw many sea hardened men, did you not?"

"I did."

"Well miss, none of these men, not one, have a heart. The only thing they are after is money and money alone. And they would love to have a few women on their way also. If I hadn't told them to keep out of here, you would be in a much worse sense of mind then you are now miss. Even with that order the crew has grown suspicious. Do you understand?"

"No, I don't"

"Sigh.... If I were to let you go, the crew would commit a mutiny... they would overthrow my role as captain and kill me."

"But what about your rank? Surely it must be of a high stature?"

"Aye it is miss, but this isn't no naval vessel that you have been pulled up on. This is a pirate ship, and no such rules apply aboard this vessel."

"But why can't you just let me go?"

At this the captain started to tear, it had been so long since he had cried, and he accepted it now with a passion. He looked away from Ariel for a second and then looked back, now smiling.

"May I ask your name miss?"

"Ariel"

"Well, miss Ariel. Be ready tomorrow when the moon is directly overhead. That is when I will come for you, that is when you shall be free. But in no way must you delay, this is the only time that I can do such a thing, in hopes of not getting caught. So be ready."

Ariel couldn't believe her luck, in that instant she sprung with her tailfin and wrapped her arms around the old man's neck. She was now starting to cry, sobbing and sniffling.

"Thank you... oh thank you!"

The captain stood up and put his hat back on. He had stopped crying, but still had that smile upon his face.

"You are welcome miss, and be ready for I will come."

At that the captain turned and left, leaving Ariel to cry alone her tears of joy.


	4. Chapter 4

It was that time of night, and Ariel was growing nervous. She could not directly see the moon, but she could have sworn that it was overhead by now. She just sat and hoped, chewing on the seaweed that they had finally giver her. Then, just as she was about to give up hope, she heard a small click at the door. Not a second later, it swung inward, presenting the old frail captain in the doorway.

"Are you ready miss?"

"Yes."

The captain quickly, but quietly went over and picked Ariel up in his arms. He was much stronger than he looked, and upon getting close to him Ariel noticed a rope wrapped around his shoulder.

"What is the rope for"

"So that I may lower you down into the ocean, we need to make as little noise as possible, so I can't just throw you overboard. Now be quiet and say no more once we leave the cabin."

Ariel nodded her head and held tight to the captain as they left the cabin. The ship was rocking slowly side to side, and the moon was directly overhead. There was a small opening that seemed to lead off the ship, maybe a walkway. That is were the captain was headed. As he walked to the spot he whispered quietly in her ear.

"Hold tight to the rope when I let you down and don't let go for anything."

Ariel nodded her head, and became so relieved at the realization of her freedom. Then she grew scared. One of the crewmen had stumbled on deck, drunk most likely, and looked over at the captain holding on to their new catch. He didn't say anything at first, both him and the captain frozen in their places, then the crewman spoke.

"The captains a traitor, he has the mermaid!"

At that sound the whole ship awoke, crew men coming from the hull and other cabins scattered on board. The captain ran toward the spot he had been destined for before, but stopped short as someone grabbed his leg and tripped him, making Ariel fly from his arms and land hard on the wooden deck. He looked up and shouted.

"Run!"

If the air wasn't tense he would have seen the irony in his statement, but there was no time for that no time at all. The crew was coming toward Ariel, and she had to escape; had to. As fast as her arms would allow her she headed toward the side, ignoring the opening that they had headed for before, it was too far away. It was not a long trip until she finally came to the edge, then with one final push from her tailfin, she launched herself in the air and over the edge, she was free... almost. At the last moment that Ariel was over the edge and almost assured victory, a hardened hand clamped over her tailfin. She struggled and fought to no prevail, she was caught again.

Instead of being hauled over the side of the ship as she had been before, she was now slung up and over the rail, coming down hard on the wood floor, her face hitting first, letting blood flow from her nose. Everything was starting to get blurry, but she could still see. She had wished she didn't, for what she saw was nothing that she had wanted to see, but they made her watch, one of the sailors grabbing her by her hair and hoisting her up to his height.

"Would you like to see what happens to traitors my little fish?"

Ariel stared at the captain, he was smiling, but it soon ended. He was being held by two crewmen, arms behind his back, and a third stood in front of him, a knife in hand. Once, twice, three times he stabbed the captain in the stomach, each time his smile wavered as the blood flew from his wound. Then one more cut went to his neck, and all the color flowed out of him, being taken with the blood that now spilled on deck. The two men threw him on deck and laughed, looking to Ariel as she slowly started to loose consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

When she awoke, she was in the same cabin as before. The night sky was shining through the window, so she either awoke soon after the incident, or the next night. Either way, she was still trapped, not able to get back home. She now had time to think of her next move, but to also mourn over the loss of the captain. She did not know him personally; she had not even known his name for the three times she had seen him. But he was a good man, and he deserved to be mourned. Especially now with that good deed on his record.

Ariel looked around the room once more, there was nothing new about it, she didn't expect there to be. The only difference was the plate of seaweed sitting not two feet from her. She waddled over to the plate and ate, poring the glass of saltwater beside it on her body. She was tired, sore, and she had who knows how many whelps on her head by now, so she went and laid on the ground by the window and closed eyes, trying to get some sleep.

Once she had finally found some measure of comfort, one of the sailors came in the door and scooped her up, she didn't even try to struggle, she was too tired, but once she was out of the door with the moon shining overhead the urge became too strong. With a final push she leaped out of the sailors hands, launching herself over the railing, and this time, no hand caught her tailfin. Instead, she fell all the way down, upon the hard grassen earth below. This sudden change of environment shocked her, although she had not really hurt herself much from the fall. In her state of shock she had no chance to retaliated when one of the sailors scooped her up and placed her inside a woven sack, tying it up and cutting one whole in the side of it.

Ariel struggled furiously in the bag, but the sailor had tied it to tight, and after long she had given up, accepting that she had just been captured.

She stayed close to the whole while she was being lugged around, but soon she was thrown, and then all she was a white sheet that seemed to be laid atop her. She could hear the nay of horses and an unfamiliar flow of movement as she was being taken to wherever she was being taken. It was a long trip, and also a very quiet trip. Sleeping was one of the things that she didn't want to do at a time like this, but she was to tired, and the opportunity to sleep was present, so she slept.


	6. Chapter 6

"Did you take those shells off like I told ye?"

"Aye sir I did."

"Good, she'll be more of an attraction without em."

Ariel awoke, and for the first time in forever, she felt at home. Her skin felt smooth again, she felt rejuvenated, she felt like she was once again floating in the ocean. The only thing that was out of place was her vision, for it was slowly starting to focus in. As it did, she started to make out green wavy shapes, and in no time at all, her vision cleared, and she saw them for what they were; kelp. She was home again. Ignoring the voices she had heard when she first awoke, she took off full speed in a straightforward direction. Then she was abruptly stopped by an unseen barrier, glass. As she looked around she started to realize what was happening, the water ended at a point were the glass divided it from the outside world, and on the outside world she could see people staring back at her. She was in a tank.

Now she was scared, scared of everything, of what would happen, what had happened, and what was happening now. Her hand went to her heart in surprise, but instead of the shells that used to be there, all she felt was bare skin. At that she looked down to see if they had been misplaced or somehow broken, but instead, they were gone entirely, her bare skin exposed to all the faces to see.

She immediately covered herself and looked for a place to hide, but the tank was entirely empty, the only thing it contained was rocks, and a few strands of kelp growing up amongst them. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. So instead she just swam to a corner, and turned facing it, covering her breasts up with her arms, and started to cry.

As she sat there, crying, reflecting on the past events, she thought of looking up, and obvious idea that should have been her first, but upon looking up, she saw blackness, still, with hope in her heart, she swam upwards and peaked the surface. It was shut off, with one small hinged wooden door in the corner, she went to this door and tried to open it, but it was locked as expected. She pushed three times and then quit, but as she quit, the small hinged door opened on its own, and she raced out it.

As she was hopeful for freedom once more a large hand came down upon the top of her head and pushed her back under the water. After she was submerged once more, the hand threw down five pieces of seaweed, and slammed the hinged door shut.

Ariel didn't even try to open the door again, she just took the pieces of kelp that had been fed to her like a dog, and went back to her corner to eat, and to cry.


	7. Chapter 7

She was sitting in her corner again. It had been days, maybe weeks since she had first came to occupy the tank she now sat in. It was night, and all the staring faces had gone. Now was the time for her to swim, without fear of being pointed at, it was time to feel free.

She slowly drifted out of her corner and started to swim circles in her tank. It was small to small, she felt like a goldfish trapped in a round fish bowl, and that's exactly what she was, but at least she was back in the water, and not still in that lonely cabin. She had at least a taste of her freedom back.

"Hello."

Ariel turned and looked at a face, he looked about sixteen, certainly not that older if she were wrong, but in her state of bliss she had almost smiled at him before darting back over to her corner and covering herself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you... I only want to talk."

Ariel didn't say anything.

"I've been to see you a couple of times, you always look sad, so I assume you are not here on your own terms are you?"

Ariel continued to cover herself in her corner.

"I wouldn't have thought you to be real if I hadn't snuck in here tonight to see you. May I ask you a question?"

Ariel stayed silent.

"That's fine... you know if you where to tie some of those leaves up together you could cover yourself with them, and if you didn't have enough you could use the seaweed the people throw down to you. My name is Jordan by the way."

Ariel looked over at the floating kelp and thought his words to be true, she would try that once he left. And finally she responded to some of his ranting.

"Ariel."

"That's a beautiful name, it was my mum's name before she passed away. I'm on my own now, but I manage. May I ask you about the ocean?'

Ariel slowly floated out of her corner, still covering herself, and sat in front of the cage facing Jordan. She figured that if she was to be trapped here, she might as well gather friends on the way. She couldn't sit in the tank forever and talk to no one.

"What would you like to know?"

"Everything."

Ariel smiled now.

"It is a beautiful place, full of other creature, and other merfolk. The landscape seems to never end, and there are amazing friends to be made. Even at the dark part of some oceans you find creatures to marvel at. Creatures that glow in the darkness, that seem to keep fighting the current despite their frail bodies, but not all of the ocean is a paradise. Their are other parts, dark parts, that are inhabited by vile creatures that only work for the goal of hurting others. These places are usually around the volcanoes, the heat seems to attract creatures like that, but we, being creatures that we are can not travel close to the vents, or skin is too frail to sustain such heat, but yes it is a beautiful place."

"Then why are you here?"

Ariel looked in his eyes and started to cry, but she was in the water, he could not see her tears.

"Because these men willed it to be, once they kidnapped me from my home."

Jordan did not say anything, he just stared at her, and his smile faltered into a frown. He seemed like he was hurting.

"Oy... who's there!"

Jordan turned and looked in another direction. Someone was coming.

"I will be back tomorrow night, and every night thereafter... Ariel."

Ariel pressed her hands against the glass and watched as he ran off towards a standing gate. She smiled once more.

"Goodbye... Jordan"


	8. Chapter 8

The next couple of weeks were the best that Ariel would know on the surface. Every night when possible Jordan would come and visit her. They would talk for long hours, sometimes even until the sun would rise. Their discussions included talks about the ocean, each others lives and many other things that they found relevant at that moment. It was the closest that Ariel had felt to home in a long time, and she savored every moment of it. Tonight was particularly perfect, there were no clouds in the sky and the stars shined bright enough that it seemed if you reached out you could touch them. And the wind was blowing every so slightly, just enough to make a man close his eyes and spread his arms in the serenity of it, the only problem was, Jordan. He was usually here by now, usually sitting in front of the tank and talking with Ariel, but he wasn't. Ariel figured that she would just have to be without him tonight... alone.

As Ariel finally decided to resign to her corner and rest she heard the latch from the door up above unhinge and the door swing open. She wondered why they were bothering her at this time of night. Slowly, she peaked her head up to the surface and looked through the door, she could see the bright stars above, and was waiting for one of the ugly heads that she all to often saw to peak inside and break her view, but it didn't happen. Instead, a new head appeared. Jordan now stood above her, and was smiling.

"Jordan! What are you doing here? You could get caught."

"Getting you out of here... here take my hand."

Jordan reached his hand down toward her and waited for her to take it, a smile still on his face, but Ariel seemed a bit nervous.

"But Jordan, what if they catch us?"

"They won't, and even if they do, I'm a better runner than you might think."

Ariel stood her ground and started to think, she could see many ways that this could go wrong, but when she looked back into her bare tank, she took his hand without a second thought.

She was pulled up on top of her tank. It was very dark, and she wouldn't have been able to see anything if it had not been for a candle that sat beside Jordan. Then he pulled something out of the back of his pants and showed it to her.

"You might want to put this on... it's a bra, it goes around your chest... I would bet it's a lot more comfortable than that seaweed you're wearing."

Ariel looked at the 'bra' and then back at Jordan... she had a very confused look on her face.

"Here let me show you."

Jordan demonstrated on himself, becoming embarrassed despite the fact that Ariel didn't find it remotely funny.

"Here, now put it on."

Jordan gave Ariel the bra and crossed his arms, waiting for her to put it on. She just stared back at him.

"Oh! Oh I'm sorry"

Jordan turned his head, blushing, not attempting to peek, just waiting for her to get finished.

"Ok, I'm ready"

Jordan turned back around and saw Ariel sitting with the bra on, and the seaweed laying on the ground beside her. She looked to the ground, and then back up at him, shoving the hair out of her face with her hand.

"Ok, let's go."

Jordan blew out the candle and picked Ariel up. She couldn't see anything, but she trusted Jordan enough to wrap her arms around his neck. He walked down a small flight of stairs that he had climbed to get to the top of the tank, and then entered into a small looking shack that was cluttered with different tools and knives. He headed out the door, now in the night air, concrete under his feet, and wind blowing through his hair. He started running, careful not to shake Ariel to uncontrollably in his grasp. Soon the texture under his feet turned from concrete to grass. Ariel relaxed against his body, and soon fell asleep with her head against his chest. She was so close to home.


	9. Chapter 9

Ariel awoke to a constant vibration. It was still dark outside, and she looked up at Jordan's face to see beads of sweat falling down it. He was running, running fast.

"What is it?"

Jordan didn't respond to her question. He had a dedicated and serious look on his face, if he didn't answer, then it was for a reason. Although, her answer came soon enough as a loud shout arose from the night.

"Ye get back here with me mermaid kid!"

They had been caught. Ariel was sure that at any moment the large man chasing them would tackle Jordan and her to the ground. Then, he would be dead, and she would be back in the tank. At her thoughts she grabbed Jordan a little tighter and pressed her face against his shoulder. She didn't want to be taken back, she was so close now and she could almost cry with her disappointment, she just didn't have any hope left. However, that changed when Jordan's running slowed ever so slightly. Once he had Ariel took her head away from his shoulder and looked out at the landscape... they were now running on sand, and not thirty feet from them was a dock that led out to a small sailboat, and the ocean.

In no time Jordan had found his way to the dock and jumped aboard the boat. Quickly and carefully he laid Ariel down on the deck of the boat and untied it from the dock. He raced over to the sails and unbound them letting them fill push him forward, if it had not been a windy night, they would have never gotten away, for not ten seconds later, the man following them bounded onto the dock, but stopped at the end to yell at them.

Jordan turned back to Ariel and knelt down so that she would not have to tilt her head back to see him.

"Well Ariel I guess we..."

Jordan was stopped in midspeech by the feel of Ariel's lips against his. It was a long moment, a moment were their hearts stopped, a moment that felt awkward afterwards, to both of them, but it was a moment, none the less.


	10. Chapter 10

They had been sailing for about an hour now, the moon was still in the sky, and it was quiet, besides wind that constantly flew threw their sails. Jordan was at the back of the boat steering, not really sure of were he was going, but just keeping as far away from the mainland as possible. Ariel was asleep on the deck; she had been there ever since they had escaped. Jordan watched her as she slept, he couldn't see her eyes, but even without them, she was beautiful. And she still held her smile, even after all of the hardships she had just been through.

Jordan looked back behind him and searched the horizon. He could not see the shore that he had left on, the wind was strong indeed. Tying the wheel to a railing so that the ship would not go haywire, he walked over to were Ariel was sleeping, and shook her slightly.

"Ariel... Ariel wake up."

Her eyes opened, as if she hadn't been asleep at all, but the yawn and flexible stretching dispelled that idea.

"Yes?"

"We should be far enough away from the mainland now that those men won't have a chance of finding you. So, I could let you off here if you like."

Ariel looked back to were they had came from, but sure enough, they were out far enough to were there was nothing but water surrounding them.

"Remember when I told you that some parts of the ocean aren't as safe as others, well the part that were in right now, I wouldn't even know which way to go to get back home."

"So you wish to sail until we get there then? But if you could not navigate to your home how do we get there?"

"Well, my father did once mention a name... It was a location... east... yeah east!"

"Was there something else, another name... East is just a direction..."

"Ummm... Faroe Islands... east of the Faroe islands."

Jordan smiled and went back to the wheel.

"As soon as we curve this peninsula, we will be headed strait towards that area. When we get there though, your going to have to go under and see exactly were I need to drop you."

Ariel smiled and tears came from her eyes. She laid on her side and closed her eyes, turning away from Jordan so that he would not see her tears. Then she whispered.

"Thank you."


	11. Chapter 11

It had been two days, they had seen no land since they left, and kept to the planned course as much as possible. The two days were tiring, it had been full of navigation, eating, and talking; mostly navigation. The time that they did get too talk was at night when they were tired, so it was always brief, there was even a time when one fell asleep on another. Tonight seemed just like all the others, but Jordan had other plans.

They were sitting around a candle that Jordan had lit and were eating. Jordan was eating an apple (he would have been eating fish, but he was respecting Ariel's wishes) and Ariel was eating a couple of leaves of lettuce (it was the only thing available on the ship). Jordan didn't like the times when they ate, it was very irritating, nothing but smack smack and crunch crunch. He didn't feel like dealing with it tonight, he didn't feel like dealing with anything. So, he threw the apple overboard and stood up, pulling his shirt off.

"Lets go swimming."

Jordan dived into the water.

"What?"

"I said let's go swimming."

Ariel looked over at him with a crazed look in her eye.

"Why!"

"Because its a great night for it, and you haven't been in the water for days, It will only be for a little while."

"But how will we get back in the boat?"

"We can climb the anchor chain back to the top deck."

Ariel looked over at the anchor and then back at him, it did seem like a good idea, especially on a night like this. She picked herself up, and jumped over the side, diving into the water and splashing back up... she had a smile on her face.

"Come on."

Ariel grabbed Jordan's hand and took him under. It was much clearer than Jordan thought it would have been, He could easily see the bottom, were coral and other mollusk lay. Ariel took him among them, and he watched as many fish darted out of their way, and crabs rose to pinch at them as they passed, even a small dolphin had swam up beside them. As he reveled in this glory, Jordan didn't realize the pressure that had started in on his head and chest, making it harder for him to breath. He tugged on Ariel's arm and pointed towards the surface, she shook her head and put her lips against his, blowing into his mouth. He had air now, and even the pressure had started to ease up a little. This would continue, they would swim around and see many wonders, playing with each other as they did, trying to gather the most seashells or swim faster than one another (even though Ariel always won), and whenever Jordan became drained, Ariel would give him air. It had been hours until they realized that they had overshot their goal of only staying in the water a 'little while' and so they swam back up, and surfaced.

The night was still quiet, and the boat lay still, safely to one side. They stared into each others eyes for a moment, until Jordan spoke.

"My breathing still isn't doing that well, I think I need some air."

Jordan connected his lips to hers and they kissed. It surprised her at first, but soon she accepted it and laid her hands on the back of his head. They had a wonderful time that night, a night that neither would die to forget, but that moment for now and forever is lost in time. And, as before, the anchor was raised, and they were off the next morning to get her home.


	12. Chapter 12

It was their fifth day on sea, and it was mostly like all the others. However, since their kiss there was always an uncomfortable silence between them when they looked at each other and smiled. More times than once had they been caught staring at one another, just to turn away embarrassed at what the other had found out. It seemed very childish, but they knew it very mature in their own aspects.

Ariel laid with her stomach on the bow and her fingers stretched past the railing and down to the surface of the ocean. She was lost in a daydream, a daydream of home and her family, one that had been quite the opposite story only a few weeks ago. Everything had taken such a strange turn, and yet she found herself enjoying the way things had played out. She could only hope that she still felt that way once she was in the water.

"Ariel, look at the clouds ahead."

That was the first time that either of them had spoken that day, and Ariel was wishing that Jordan hadn't. When she looked forward to the horizon she saw what he was looking at, a pack of black clouds huddling together with the occasional bright light that would puncture through to show the starkness of the scene. A storm was heading their way.

"It's coming in fast, and there's no way that I'm going to be able to avoid it… Get down below. I'll be down in a second as soon as I tie everything up."

Ariel had never seen Jordan with such a look in his eye. He had always been laid back and somewhat humorous, but there was no mistaking the seriousness in his voice. Without a second thought she crawled over to the small stairway and went down below to lie upon a silken bed.

Jordan went and laid down his sail and let loose his anchor. The storm was coming fast, and he didn't even dare to try to out sail it. There was no chance, and even sitting her stagnant was a gambler, but it was the only thing he knew to do. With a few quick check to all the gear up top, Jordan raced towards the small stairway, only to stare back at the clouds once more as he heard the strike of the first lighting strike.

*****

Jordan and Ariel lay in the bed down below and looked into darkness as they felt the boat start to slowly rock. It seemed like a mother pushing her baby back and forth in her crib, but at the loud crack of thunder that all changed. The boat now took a change from a constant and predictable rocking motion, to a choppy and unbalanced flopping as if a fish out of the water. With each sway it seemed that each of their hearts would speed up, till it got to a speed that made it seem as though it were humming. Ariel knew that she could easily survive and even enjoy this storm if she just jumped in the water and waited it out below, but then were would she be. Lost as the day she had been when locked in that evil cabin. No. She would not leave Jordan, not for the balance of the world to be turned in her favor.

Soon there came a point of time were they both knew that they could do nothing but wait, they were trapped like a dog in a cage, except they didn't yap to get out, they just wanted to stay in. They held each other, not in a scared kind of sense, but a comforting one all the same. Ariel was crying, and although Jordan could not see, he felt it. He lifted a hand to her face and wiped away a teardrop.

"No tears Ariel I'm here with you."

Ariel looked into his eyes although blackness still engulfed them and smiled at the ironic sense of things.

"No tears," Ariel began to say over and over again. Soon, she got to a crescendo in her words and Jordan reached out and kissed her, only to pull away slightly and say three words.

"I love you."

Ariel kissed him back and they embraced. He lay her gently upon the bed and continued to kiss her, both crying as it happened. As the boat was being thrown around by massive waves that formed outside, Jordan and Ariel sat at the middle of all the madness making love. This amazing act made so much sense to the two people who were living it, but to the world around them they seemed so small, small enough to not be seen, and small enough to change the world.


	13. Chapter 13

Jordan's eyes opened to what he had expected, blackness. He felt Ariel beside him laying atop his arm. He slowly pulled her off and laid her back down, pulling on his clothes as he walked toward the small stairwell to the surface. He swung open the door and stepped on board of his ship. He had risen to a beautiful sun rise, and everything seemed so calm. Out here on the ocean, unlike land, everything after a storm was almost always the same, It seemed as if a storm hadn't even occurred.

Jordan had begun to gather up ropes and other material that lay aboard the boat when Ariel came up from the hull. Jordan turned to her when she came up and smiled as he watched the sun gleam in her blue eyes. Even though she had been through hell and back, she never stopped smiling, never stopped looking forward. That was only one of the things that Jordan loved about her.

The continued on for a long moment, coming to sit beside each other at the front of the boat to watch the sun rise, they said nothing, but they each had a certain unspoken language that they both seemed to completely understand. Then, for the first time that day, Ariel looked down into the water. Jordan looked with her, and saw tears ripple the surface.

"Ariel what's wrong?"

She looked from the water to Jordan, tears full in her eyes, but a smile that seemed both mad and joyful.

"This is it, this is… my home."

Jordan looked to her and then looked away for a short second, he didn't want to leave her, but he did. Not to be rid of her, but to have an ease of mind about her, and besides, he had fought the ocean for this very moment.

"Then lets get you there."

Very slowly as if time itself had stopped but the world around it continued, he lifted Ariel into his arms and walked to the back of the boat. Never did he avert his eyes from hers as he walked to that back of the boat for what seemed like a century, the only thing that seemed to give any real sense to the world were the seagulls that squawked overhead. Now at the side of the boat with Ariel in his arms, he began to lower her. So gently did he lay her into the water that the supposed ripples seemed non-existent.

There hands still held each other and now it was time for a last exchange of words were both wanted to say everything, but nothing at the same time. It was Ariel first.

"I love you."

Then Jordan.

"And I love you."

Slowly still as the time had paused their lips came together and they held, for they both felt the sensation that all desire, but too few ever attain. As they released from each other, Jordan's finger sliding gently under Ariel's chin being the last contact that either of them felt, the immediate distance that came between them seemed colossal. They both watched as they slowly faded from sight, never ever looking away or blinking until there was absolutely no sight or even hint at the image of each other.

Now Ariel sat in the water, the sun at her back, and tears silently sliding down her face. The silence sounded almost eerie, for the only thing you could hear was the quiet sobs. With a last look at the horizon, and a final tug for her fading lover, she dove back under the water towards home, her heart both broken and full at the same time.


End file.
